240 research outputs found
Adaptation and livelihood resilience : implementation pilots and research in regions vulnerable to extreme climatic variability and change
No full textContributor: Sara Ahmed, Eva Saroch, Shashikant Chopde, Praveen Singh, Ajaya Dixit, Deeb Raj Rai, Anil Pokhrel, S. Janakarajan, S. Gitalaxmi, Nafisa Barot, Kaushik Raval, Vijaya Aditya, Rohit Magotra, Marcus Moench, Sarah Opitz-Stapleton, Shiraj A. Wajih, Amit Kumar, Madhukar Upadhya and Kanchan Mani DixitThe book provides a summary of the project study, outputs, outcomes, and recommendations. The project aimed to implement on a pilot basis, insights drawn from the Adaptive Strategies Project, including programs for watershed development, drought-proofing, flood mitigation and coastal post-tsunami reconstruction. It worked to enable local communities in northern Ganga plains and coastal Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to better deal with impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic climate change. It explored the related social and institutional issues using an array of techniques to generate knowledge on impacts, to understand vulnerabilities, and to translate knowledge into practical action
The interplay of co-infections in shaping COVID-19 severity: Expanding the scope beyond SARS-CoV-2
No full textHigh mortality has been reported in severe cases of COVID-19. Emerging reports suggested that the severity is not only due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also due to coinfections by other pathogens exhibiting symptoms like COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, simultaneous respiratory coinfections with various viral (Retroviridae, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, and Picoviridae) and bacterial (Mycobacteriaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Helicobacteraceae) families have been observed. These pathogens intensify disease severity by potentially augmenting SARSCoV-2 replication, inflammation, and modulation of signaling pathways. Coinfection emerges as a critical determinant of COVID-19 severity, principally instigated by heightened pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, as cytokine storm. Thereby, in co-infection scenario, the severity is also driven by the modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways by both pathogens possibly associated with interleukin, interferon, and cell death exacerbating the severity. In the current review, we attempt to understand the role of co- infections by other pathogens and their involvement in the severity of COVID-19
Research Progress of Metals and Alloys by Thermal Layering and Deposition
No full textToday’s world demands unique and specific materials for precise engineering applications. If there exist limitations in changing or altering materials, then the only option is to improve the existing ones. This Special Issue of Coatings, “Research Progress in Thermal Layering and Deposition”, explores the various techniques related to surface coatings and similar surface modification techniques with a wealth of scientific and comparative results to better understand the current state of materials technology. The present volume also revels the opportunities and challenges associated with coatings techniques, and provides a futuristic approach to solutions
Electrochemically impregnated aluminum-stabilized alpha-nickel hydroxide electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted alpha-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of beta-nickel hydroxide electrodes [200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996)] prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide [345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991)]. These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (le exchange) to 491 mAh/g [1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989)]. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Pseudoceros vishnui Dixit, Raghunathan & Chandra, 2017, sp. nov.
No full textPseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. Figures 6–8; Table. 1 Type material: Holotype: One specimen (20 x 15 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (7 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Collected 19.03.2015, subtidally from 10 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16841). Paratypes: One specimen (15 x 10 mm) as serial sections of reproductive structures (5 Slides), remainder of animal in 70% ethanol. Same as holotype (ZSI/ANRC-16842). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 0 8.09.2015, subtidally from 15 m depth, Pongibalu (Lat: 11°30.573’N, Long: 92°39.123’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16843). One specimen (11 x 8 mm) in 70% EtOh. Collected 15.12.2016, subtidally from 9 m depth, Rutland Island (Lat: 11°30.119’N, Long: 92°37.112’E), South Andaman, India (ZSI/ANRC-16844). Distribution. Pongibalu, South Andaman, India. Additional photographic record from Burma (Newman & Cannon, 2005). Diagnosis. Body colour cream, solid purple to violet spots all over body. Margin made up of non-continuous dark blue spots of various sizes. Etymology. This species is named after Vishnu Kumar Dixit, father of the first author, in acknowledgment of his support throughout his research on marine flatworms. Synonyms. It is likely that it corresponds to Pseudoceros sp. 38, Newman & Cannon (2005), CD-ROM and to Pseudoceros sp., Kuiter & Debelius (2009), see taxonomic remarks below. Description. Live. Body oval and smooth, margin without any ruffles. Many purple to violet coloured spots, of variable sizes, more or less circular are present all over the body (Fig. 6A, B). Blue pseudotentacles, small, formed by simple folds of the anterior margin with scattered eyespots on each pseudotentacle on either side. Cerebral eyespot cluster with 40–43 eyes (Fig. 6 C). Ventral side cream in colour. Margin made up of small blue coloured discontinuous spots of various sizes. Preserved. Holotype 15 mm long and 12 mm wide at central portion. Translucent due to loss of colour on fixation but some faint purple spots visible in paratype specimen. Dorsal epidermis very rough and uneven with thickens 45 to 55 µm and is twice the thickness of ventral epidermis which is 18–22 µm and smooth. Nucleus present at the base while rhabdites near dorsal surface. A distinct basement membrane clearly separates epithelium from underlying muscles. Distance between pharyngeal mouth and sucker is 4.53 mm. Male and female gonopores 1.03 mm apart. Pharynx small and ruffled with 7 folds. Male pore 1.93 mm from pharyngeal mouth and is situated between last pair of pharyngeal folds. Sucker 1.3 mm from female pore. Reproductive characters. Measurements refer to length in a 15 mm long worm, the holotype. Seminal vesicle (Fig. 7 A) elongate and oval (490 x 421 µm), heavily muscularized, parallel to longitudinal body axis. Prostatic vesicle (Fig. 7 A) located anterior to seminal vesicle and just above male atrium. It is slightly tapering in shape downwards (180 x 168 µm) with thickness of inner wall varying from 30 to 50 µm. Male atrium deep with many folds and stylet 197 µm long. Female atrium 188 µm long while vagina is 384 µm long tube curved towards posterior end. Well defined cement pouches with numerous cement glands present (Fig. 7 B & 8). Taxonomic remarks. The presence of this species is recorded on many occasions from Andaman Islands (Sreeraj & Raghunathan 2013; Sreeraj et al. 2015); however, no attempt had been made in the past to make a formal description. To date, only 4 species under the genus Pseudoceros are described from India: Pseudoceros gamblei Laidlaw, 1902; P. tigrinus Laidlaw, 1902; P. galatheensis Dixit et al. 2017 and P. nigropunctatus Dixit et al. 2017. The general spotted pattern of newly described species P. vishnui sp. nov. resembles with P. nigropunctatus described from same geographical area but the difference in appearance and colour of the spots on dorsal surface and background colour distinguish them from one another. In addition, P. laingensis Newman & Cannon, 1998 described from Papua New Guinea is the most resembled species to P. vishnui sp. nov. in terms of margins, background colour and spots. Both species have purple spots on dorsum but the spots in P. laingensis are smaller and more in number in comparison to P. vishnui sp. nov. with bigger and few spots. Border of P. laingensis is made up of numerous purple spots (same colour as that of spots on dorsum) of different sizes (Bolanos et al. 2016) while the border of P. vishnui sp. nov. is characterised by numerous spots of blue colour and never of same colour as of spots on dorsum. Bolanos et al (2016) mentioned that the purple dots on the dorsal surface of P. laingensis were numerous in some individuals but scarce in others while the frequency of spots in P. vishnui sp. nov. remained almost similar in all the studied individuals. There are few more species under the genus Pseudoceros with presence of spots on their body namely Pseudoceros nipponicus Kato, 1944; P. lindae Newman & Cannon, 1994 and P. scintillatus Newman & Cannon, 1994. P. nipponicus have black spots on the dorsum and a russet brown sub marginal band with a black rim while P. lindae is characterised by golden yellow spots on dorsum. In P. scintillatus the spots are very big, differently coloured, clearly outlined and touching the margin. Newman & Cannon, 2005 reported this undescribed species as Pseudoceros sp. 38 from Burma and mentioned colour of spots as red and margins to be made up of purple spots. Kuiter & Debelius (2009) also reported this species as Pseudoceros sp. from Andaman Sea based on photographic record. But the overall appearance and pattern of the species agrees to the newly described species and existence of both in same geographical area led us to assume that both can be same species. Table. 1 is provided with detailed comparisons between newly described species and similarly coloured species. TABLE. 1. Comparison of Pseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. characters with similarly coloured and patterned species.Published as part of Dixit, Sudhanshu, Raghunathan, C. & Chandra, Kailash, 2017, Two new Pseudoceros (Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) and a Prostheceraeus (Polycladida: Euryleptidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, pp. 495-512 in Zootaxa 4269 (4) on pages 501-503, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4269.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/58274
Electrochemically Impregnated Aluminum-Stabilized α-Nickel Hydroxide Electrodes
No full textNickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted α-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of β-nickel hydroxide electrodes 200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996) prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide 345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991). These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (1e exchange) to 491 mAh/g 1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989). © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved
Performance evaluation of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nano powder mixed dielectric for electric discharge machining of Inconel 825
No full textInvestigation of powder mixed EDM process parameters for machining Inconel alloy using response surface methodology
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